Process for making a battermix starch for breaded deep fried foods

ABSTRACT

A battermix starch having consistently high adhesion characteristics and a process for making the same are disclosed. The protein content of a commercial starch is adjusted to 0.7 percent or more by weight of the starch and the high protein starch is then modified by oxidative treatment.

United States Patent Campbell [151 3,655,443 Apr. 11,1972

[21] Appl. No.: 884,052

[52] US. Cl ..127/70,99/1,99/l07, 106/210, 127/32 [51] Int. Cl...Cl3l1/08 [58] FieldofSearch ..l27/32,33,70,71; 106/210 [5 6]References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,2o8,8 5 g/ ges Ai tinori ..99/1h 3,317,346 5/1967 Kibbel 127/70 OTHER PUBLICATlONS J. W. Pence et al.,Cereal Chem., 36(3), 199- 214 (1959).

Primary Examiner-Morris O. Wolk Assistant Examiner-Sidney MarantzAnamey-Eyre, Mann & Lucas [57] ABSTRACT A battermix starch havingconsistently high adhesion characteristics and a process for making thesame are disclosed. The protein content of a commercial starch isadjusted to 0.7 percent or more by weight of the starch and the highprotein starch is then modified by oxidative treatment.

6 Claims, No Drawings PROCESS FOR MAKING A BATTERMIX STARCH FOR BREADEDDEEP FRIED FOODS The present invention relates to a new and improvedstarch for a deep fat fried food batter which has superior adhesion tofoodstuffs and which imparts superior adhesion to breading is such isused.

The ideal batter is one which consistently displays such adhesive powerthat the breaded batter coating is an integral part of the foodstuff.Until the discovery of the unique battermix starch of the presentinvention, it has never been possible to consistently produce suchbatter.

For years, the base ingredients in deep fried foods batters have beenstarches and cereal flours. Although various attempts have been made toimprove them, none of the flours or starches have a consistently highdegree of adhesion. The selection of particular starch lots has givensomewhat better adhesion, but this method is costly. Ingredients such asegg solids, milk solids and vegetable gums have been added but these areexpensive and the results are not consistent. Functional starches mildlyinhibited by cross linking have been tried as well as lightly treatedacid thin boiling starches, but these have not been entirelysatisfactory and were not well accepted in the trade. Mild oxidation ofthe starch has also been tried. This requires treatment in a certain pHrange with active chemical oxidant. The pH must be very carefullycontrolled within a narrow range, usually 5.8-6.3, and the chemicaloxidant must be present only in the very limited range of 0.25 to 0.5percent by weight of starch. Even with these carefully controlledconditions, there is no consistency in the finished product and it isnecessary to test each batch to determine its adhesive characteristics.

We have surprisingly discovered that if the starch which is oxidized hasa high protein content, it will consistently produce a batter starchhaving superior adhesion characteristics and it is not necessary tofollow the stringent conditions heretofore required for oxidation of thestarch. The normal level of protein in commercial starch is 0.2 to 0.4percent by weight. We have discovered that if the protein level isadjusted to about 0.7 percent or more by weight of starch, the starchcan be oxidized in a pH range anywhere from 2 to and with an activechemical oxidant range of 0.2 through percent by weight of starch orhigher and the resulting batter will have consistently good adhesioncharacteristics.

The present invention may be used to advantage whenever it is desired tocoat a foodstuff with a breading mix. The term breading mix will beunderstood by those skilled in the art to mean any mix which is appliedto foodstuffs before deep fat frying. Such mixes include bread crumbs,cookie crumbs, cracker crumbs and the like either alone or mixed withbutter, salt, seasoning, etc. The term foodstuff means any food whichcan be deep fried, such as meats, fish, shell fish, fowl, vegetables,etc.

The protein used to adjust the protein level of the starch can be ofeither animal or vegetable origin. As a general rule, however, we preferto use a protein derived from the same material as the starch, e.g. weadd corn protein to corn starch. Normal commercial starches have aprotein level of approximately 0.2 to 0.4 percent and it is necessary toadjust this level to about 0.7 percent protein by weight starch orhigher. This adjustment in the protein level of the starch can be madeby any suitable method. One suitable method is the simple addition ofprotein. As stated above, the protein to be added can be of eitheranimal or vegetable origin. A second suitable method to adjust theprotein content is to combine a starch with a high protein content withone which has a low protein content such that the resulting mixture hasthe desired protein level. A third method, and the method which weprefer, is especially applicable to corn starch. Corn starch iscommercially prepared by separating the starch from the gluten. Sincegluten is primarily protein, a high protein starch can be made simply byreducing the amount of gluten that is normally removed. Numerous othermethods to adjust the protein level can also be employed and theexamples given hereinabove are only intended to be illustrative.

Any starch in which the protein level has been adjusted to about 0.7percent or higher can successfully be employed in the present invention.However, we prefer a range of 0.7 to l 1 percent. A protein level in thestarch which is below 0.7 percent does not give consistently goodresults. Protein levels above 11 percent are still effective but theamount of oxidant required is then quite high. High oxidant contentnaturally means high costs; and higher oxidant content is alsodisadvantageous because it gels the product and makes it very difficultto manage the product without extensive use of alcohols or othercomparable diluents.

Oxidizing materials which can be used in practicing the presentinvention include the edible non-toxic oxidizing agents such ashypochlorite, peroxide, peracetic acid, persulfate, chlorite, andpermanganate. The preferred oxidizing agents are chlorine compounds,e.g. hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite. The amount of chlorineto be added can be readily determined by one skilled in the art. As ageneral rule, however, there is a relationship between the proteinpresent and the amount of chlorine used. Optimum adhesion and bestresults are achieved when the ratio of active chlorine to protein is atleast 0211 and preferably not over 2.5: 1.

The pH during oxidative treatment of the starch may be anywhere in therange from 2 to 10. Existing methods of inhibiting starches by oxidationrequire acid conditions, generally in the range of 5.8 through 6.3. Notonly does the high protein starch broaden the useable pH range on theacid side, but it also permits the reaction to be carried out underbasic conditions. Although excellent adhesion is obtained throughoutthis wide pH range, we prefer a pH range of 5 to 9, especially when theoxidizing material chosen is a hypochlorite. Hypochlorite oxidationsconducted below a pH of 5 liberate considerable amounts of chlorine gasand hypochlorite oxidations conducted above a pH of 9 yield productswith asomewhat darker color.

The modification of starch by oxidation is a well known reaction tothose skilled in the art and may be done by a number of differentmethods, including both wet and dry reactions. We prefer the followingmethod: A quantity of high protein corn starch is slurried with anapproximately equal amount of water. The oxidizing agent is then addedand the reaction is allowed to continue at ambient temperatures for l to20 hours with agitation. The excess oxidizing agent is then removed orinactivated, e.g. by the addition of a product such as sodiumbisulphite. The pH of the reaction is generally controlled between about2 and about 10.

These and other advantages of the present invention may be more fullyunderstood by the following illustrative examples:

EXAMPLE 1 200 grams of normal commercial corn starch (protein content0.3 percent) was slurried in 225 cc of tap water at a temperature ofabout 70 F. The density of the slurry was adjusted to 23 to 24 Baume bythe addition of water. Filleted codfish portions of approximately 3 to 4ounces in size were thoroughly dipped in the starch batter slurry,drained and then quickly breaded with breading mix. The breaded filletwas immersed into a deep fat fry bath with an oil temperature of 375 to380 F. and was fried until it floated. The fried fillet was drained, andthe adhesion of the batter to the codfish was tested by scraping a forklightly along the four sides of the fillet. The percent of the battermixwhich adhered to the fish was only 45 percent.

EXAMPLE 2 Corn protein was added to commercial corn starch to raise theprotein content of the starch to 0.8 percent by weight. The starch wasthen testedas abattermix base by the procedure of Example 1. The-percentbatter adhesion was 50 percent.

EXAMPLE 3 Example 2 was repeated but the high protein starch wasoxidized in conventional manner with 0.3 percent hypochlorous results ofthese tests, which were conducted according to the procedure set forthin Example 1, are summarized in Table Ill below:

acid by weight of starch. The modified starch was tested as a 5 TABLEIII battermix base by the procedure of Example 1. The percent batteradhesion was 90 percent.

Chlorine Treat- 4 and 5 ment Level Example 3 was repeated with thestarch oxidized at levels of Example prom 2. 222? 0.6 and 0.9 percentactive chlorine. The percent batter adhesion was l00 percent and 80percent respectively. The results 14 L25 m of Examples 1 through 5 aresummarized in Table 1 below: 5 o 100 I6 4.0 6.0 100 TABLE l l5 17 11.08.0 95

is ii.0 16.0 ioo Chlorine Treatment Level In the above examples the pHwas controlled within a range Example 9" 20 of 5.8 to 6.3 However, it isnot necessary to control the pH chkmne) Adheswn within this narrowrange; the oxidation may be carried out with excellent results at any pHbetween 7.0 and 1 1.0. 2 3'3 2: :3 Tests were conducted in accordancewith the procedure set 3 90 forth in Example 1 to illustrate the wide pHrange in which the 4 0a 0.6 x00 oxidation reaction may be carried out.The results of these 5 tests are set forth in Table IV below:

TABLE IV Examples 1 through 5 show results which are comparable toChlorine treatment what is obtained in commercial production. Contraryto the level, H non-consistent results obtained with unoxidized normalcom- Percent d Percent Percent active oxidabatter mercial starch, theoxidized high protein starch consistently protein chlorine tion adhesionyields a batter starch which gives a high degree of batter adhe- ExampleNo 19 1.2 1.0 2.0 95 3 1.2 1.0 6.0-6.5 100 EXAMPLE 6 i1? 13 10. 3532 13%In this example, a high protein corn starch was mixed with standardstarch to raise the protein content to L25 percent by The protein of thestarch can be adjusted with animal i ht f ta h, Th tar h was h te ted asa b u i 40 protein if desired as is illustrated in the followingexample: base b the rocedure of Exam le 1. The ercent batter adhesionWis 50 gercent. p p EXAMPLE 23 Normal commercial starch was adjusted to0.8 percent EXAMPLES protein by weight starch by the addition of gelatinand then Starch with a protein level of 1.25 percent was treated withWas Oxi ize in conventional manner by the addition of 0.6 levels ofactive oxidant from 0.3 to 2.l percent by weight of P 7 ive hl rin byWeigh f Starch- The starch, when starch in a series of tests as inExamples 3 through 5 The pertested by the procedure in Example 1, has abatter adhesion of cent batter adhesion was tested by the procedure ofExample 8 p rcent- Tests made with varying levels of animal protein at 1Th results f h tests f E l 6 h h 13 are various levels of oxidativetreatment give similar results. marized in Table 1! below; It will beunderstood that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications ofthe preferred embodiment of out inven- TABLE II tion herein chosen forthe purpose of illustration which do not constitute departure from thespirit and scope of our invention. C 11mins Tree!- What is claimed is:Example Nu Protein 7 :13:5 Bauer 1. The method of producing a battermixstarch for food- Chlorine) Adhesion stuffs with consistently betteradhesion characteristics which comprises the steps of: 6 125 00 50 a.adjusting the protein content of a starch other than a 7 1,25 0, 90starch-containing cereal flour to at least about 0.7 per- 8 1 cent byweight starch, and then :3: b. oxidizing said starch with an edible,non-toxic oxidizing l 1 L25 1:5 95 reagent- [2 1.15 is 95 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein the oxidizing reagent is 13 80 selected from thegroup consisting of hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite. EXAMPLES1448 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing reagent is presentin an amount up to about 8.0 percent by weight starch. Further testswere conducted with varying levels of protein 4. The method of claim 1wherein the protein level is from in the starch and at various oxidationlevels with oxidation carabout 0.7 percent to about 1 1 percent byweight starch. ried out in the conventional manner to show the widerange 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the starch is cornstarch. throughwhich the treatment is effective. In these examples 6. The method ofproducing a battermix starch with conthe protein level of the starch wasadjusted by various means sistently better adhesion characteristicswhich comprises the a and oxidation was carried out in conventionalmanner. The battermix of:

a. adjusting the protein level of a starch other than a starchcontainingcereal flour to about 0.7 to l 1 percent by weight of starch, and

b. oxidizing said starch with up to about 8 percent by weight of starchof a compound selected from the group consist- 5 ing of sodiumhypochlorite and hypochlorous acid.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing reagent is selected fromthe group consisting of hypochlorous acid and sodium hypochlorite. 3.The method of claim 1 wherein the oxidizing reagent is present in anamount up to about 8.0 percent by weight starch.
 4. The method of claim1 wherein the protein level is from about 0.7 percent to about 11percent by weight starch.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the starch iscornstarch.
 6. The method of producing a battermix starch withconsistently better adhesion characteristics which comprises the abattermix of: a. adjusting the protein level of a starch other than astarch-containing cereaL flour to about 0.7 to 11 percent by weight ofstarch, and b. oxidizing said starch with up to about 8 percent byweight of starch of a compound selected from the group consisting ofsodium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid.